Relapse of psychiatric patients in foster care.

The authors examined factors related to relapse of psychiatric patients within 1 year of placement in a foster home. They collected data on 210 male patients who had been hospitalized in VA medical centers who were discharged to foster homes in five states. Slightly fewer schizophrenic than nonschizophrenic patients relapsed, but age, length of hospitalization, number of previous hospitalizations, marital status, education, and income did not predict relapse. There was a suggestion that relapsed schizophrenic patients may be characterized before hospital discharge by hyperactivity, undermedication or drug noncompliance, and fewer social skills.